Advice for a Dwarf Commoner (npc class)

[Nitemare]

I'm joining a zombie campaign where every character will start as an npc class, later down the line we will develop into a class, but i'm having a hard time thinking what class suits my character, i'll give a very short description of him.

Gado is a blacksmith who loves metal, stone, ale and wenches and hates everything else (including this thread) his father was involved in the first ever creation of the steam train and since then he has been inspired to create an invention greater than his fathers, before the sun rises and falls, you can hear Gado hammering away to help the village out as well as his wacky inventions in his free time.

The problem is, i can't find a specific class that fits into the nature of Gado, at first i saw an Artificer as it fits mostly with the flavour but it's a 3rd party class and the DM won't allow 3rd party classes ( unless i convince him so) so i ask everyone what future class fits the best for a grumpy blacksmith?

[Petty Alchemy]

I'd pick up the Rough and Ready trait and go into any martial class, probably Ranger to have more skill points.

You could also consider the feat Equipment Trick: Anvil but it's pretty bad.

[Just a Guess]

The simplest way would be to make him a fighter, with foehammer a fitting archetype because, as a smith, he is used to using hammers.

I could see him becoming a barbarian, too. Normally he is grumpy, in combat he's more than just grumpy. In combat he becomes ANGRY.

Or monk. The act of smithing can be rather meditative and dwarves have a nice wis bonus. I see several archetypes that might fit. Tetori, martial artist or weapon master for example.

[lemeres]

Soul forger magus.

What? EVerything with dwarves has to be the same generic fight-y things? Just because dwarf stats only add to secondary and tertiary stats doesn't mean you can't make a magus. You save enough on the point buy to pull it off, and dwarves do not have a damaging penalty like elves.

Anyway, this archetype can eventually craft normal items in 1/10th the time, and with that bit of magic, you can write off some magitech. Regular magus isn't bad either (and doesn't have the painful loss of spells...

[Godferret]

If Gado has a religious bent, you could consider a Forge Priest Warpriest. It's crafting focused like a Soul Forger. Definitely not the most optimized archetype, but it crafts decently and is very dwarf-y.

[Cap. Darling]

How about starting him of as expert and the go barbarian as he gættes more and more annoyed that his great invention dosent show up. He can be a great hero without ever becoming what he and his gather hoped for him. If you want him to create stuff you can even make him a bloodrager and up his cha to 11 or so then his spells can be his wacky creations and with a few craft feats he can fulfill his old Mans Dream.

[Nitemare]

These are all very helpful and after hours (yes hours) of reading and comparing the classes you have advised to me as well as the theme of the campaign, the soul forger from the magus sounds ideal for Gado, I can make him into a foehammer or barberian but we already have a future barberian, and summoner (which i'm allowed to make armor and weapons for)

DM didn't allow the change to expert and since we have 2 dedicated strikers a 3rd might be a little overkill.

Gado hates everything (including religion) the warpriest is a no-go there, but a solid choice if i didn't create the characters personality 1st then i would of gone for it.

Thank you all for your valuble feedback, i've learned a lot more after this :)